So it comes as a surprise that the Brown campaign's first commercial attacks Whitman and Poizner for spending $110 million to attack each other -- when such attacks ultimately benefit Brown!

The spot begins without the dissonant notes of bickering politicians, including Whitman and Poizner, behind somber reminders of the state's budget and employment problems, before cutting to Brown haloed by a blue background with some lite jazz noodling to contrast the discord.

In other words, it's no "Demon Sheep." Though the cheap production value is in line with Brown's reputation for frugality which has only been reinforced by his drop-in-the-bucket campaign spending relative to Whitman and Poizner.

But coming literally a week before the actual primary election -- and well after absentee ballots have already been mailed -- it's clearly intended to give an image of a bi-partisan, moderate Brown ahead of the general election.